Wind direction indicator



Dec. 3, 1963 T. D. GLASS 3,112,645

WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 3, 1962 INVENTOR. THEDQE D. GLASS BYWJQMMI+EWIM United States Patent O 3,12,545 WIND DEEC'HQN INDCATGR Theodore D. Glass, S55 Phoenix Ave., Chester, W. Va. Filed ct. 3, 9o2, Ser. N 228,153 Claims. (El. 7S-igt?) This application is a continuation-in-part application of my application Serial No. 208,833, tiled July l), 1962, and relating 4to a Wind Direction Indicator.

rThis invention relates to a wind direction indicator and particularly to an indicator for use by hunters of birds and animals and suitable for mounting upon a barrel of a firearm such as -a ride. it functions by emittinc a wisp of smoke which drifts in the direction or wind ilow and thereby informs the hunter about wind direction.

In many instances, inability of a hunter to get his quarry results from the game sensing fthe hunter before it is sighted. Having once scented the hunter, the game then moves `away from the hunter and thus is not caught. Scenting of 'the hunter before he has sighted the game occurs when he is upwind of the game or in a position where the wind blows from the hunter towards the game so that he is easily scented yand then avoided. Accordingly, the hunter should ascertain the direction oi the wind and then hunt downwind of the game or with the wind blowing from the quarry towards himself.

My invention provides a wind direction indicator which permits a hunter to easily and quickly ascertain wind direction by emission of a wisp of smoke. Specifically, it comprises a casing havinu one end open and a cartridge member adapte to contain and enclose a material which produces smoke upon Contact by air. ribis cartridge member is disposed in the casing and is capable ci insertion into and removal from it through the open end thereof. The cartridge -is made from a material which is adapted to be pierced by ya piercing member. A cap is detachably and movably mounted upon the casing adjacent its open end and his over this open end. This cap has connected thereto interiorly a piercing member which extends toward the cartridge when same is inserted in the casing and when the cap is positioned over the open end. The piercing member is adapted to pierce and penetrate the cartridge member by advancement oi the cap mounted upon the casing towards the end opposite its open end.

A se member made from -a substantially resilient material is carried by one of the piercing member and `the cap. This sealing member surrounds a portion of thc piercing member land is positioned for engagement with that portion of the cartridge surrounding the piercing member when it has penetrated the cartridge to eiect lan airtight seal between the cartridge and the piercing member.

The cap has at least one hole extending there-through for escape of smoke from the cart-ridge and the casing.

in the accompanying drawings, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section view showing my wind direction indicator with its piercing member spaced apart from its cartridge which contains a smoke-producing material;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE l with the piercing member shown having penetrated Ithe cartridge;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of a portion of a riiie barrel with my wind direction indicator attached thereto; and

FiGURE 4 is a perspective view of a spring clamp for attaching the indicator of FIGURE l to a rifle barrel.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, my wind direction indicator comprises a casing l having one end 2 open and the other end 3 closed. Disposed within the casing is a cartridge 4 made from a material such as sheet metal, a synthetic resin (Bakelite), or any other suitable material which is adapted 'to be perforated by a piercing member 5 mounted upon an interior side or" a cap o which covers the open end 2 of the casing l. "ihe cartridge is insertable into and removable from the casing l through the open end 2 and accordingly can be thrown away after lusage.

The cartridge contains and encloses a material 7 which produces smoke upon contact with air and examples of this material include but are not limited to white phosphorous, red phosphorus, .a mixture of white posphorus and punk, and a mixture of red phosphorus and, punk. This smoke-producing material is sealed from Contact with air by the cartridge until the cartridge is perforated by the piercing member 5.

On the exterior surface of the casing at the open end 2 is a plurality of threads S which run a short distance towards the closed end `3 from the open end 2 and which receive corresponding threads 9 on the inside oi the cap so that the cap can be `advanced towards the closed end to perfor-ate the cantridge by engagement of the piercing member S therewith. This piercing member is attached to the inside of the end wall lil of the cap o, has a sharp point il for periorating a wall of the cartridge and extends towards the cartridge when the cap covers the open end 2.

Surrounding a portion of the piercing member spaced apart from the sharp point lll and mounted thereon is a sealing element or valve l?, made from -a resilient material such as rubber, plastic, or any other suitable substance for effecting an airtight seal between the piercing member and the cartridge. As shown in FiGURE l, opposite the piercing member 5 is a receptacle-like seat i3 defined by an endwall la of the cartridge and shaped to engagingly receive the exterior surfaces l5 of the valve l2 which are similarly formed so that the airtight seal is made by engagement of the valve l2 with the seat i3 (FIGURE 2).

Between the end -wall 11d or" the cartridge and the inside surface on of the end wall l@ of the `cap o is a coil spring 2d which seats upon the end Walls le and When the cartridge 4 is inserted into the casing l, the spring is seated against the end wall i4 and the cap 6 attached so that the spring seats against its end wall 6b. Accordingly, the spring 2d urges the cartridge d against the closed end 3 and thereby `maintains it iirmly in position to avoid rattle or noise from movement thereof and to permit easy penetration of the wall lo by the piercing member 5.

Performation of the cartridge 4 by the piercing member 5 results from screwing on the cap against the force of the coil spring 2li to advance it towards the closed end 3 and carry the point lil of the piercing member 5 through an inner end wall lo of the seat to form a hole f1.7 through the cartridge (FGURE 2). Then further turning the cap until the inside of the end i@ thereof contacts the ends 1d of the walls or the casing ening the open end 2 brings Ithe valve l2 the exterior surfaces of the cartridge end wall ld and forms the aintight seal between the valve the cartridge. This seal prevents Contact of .the air with the smoke-producing material 7 -nntil the cap is unscrewed an amount to withdraw the valve from engagement with the seat. Upon disengagement of the valve from the seat i3, air contacts the smoke-producing material in the cartridge through the hole 17 and generates smoke which escapes through the hole 17 and vents 19 in the end wall 16 of the cap to atmosphere.

Themto stop smoke generation, the cap is moved along into engagement with 3 the threads 8 to advance the va ve 12 into engagement with the seat 13 and thereby seal ori' the air from the smoke-producing material (FGURE 2).

As shown in -GURES 3 and 4, a spring ciarnp made from stamped spring steei sections Ei and 21a attaches the wind direction indicator to a riie barrel 22. These metal sections yform a tirst split sieeve 23 rubber-coated interioriy thereof to receive and mount the indicator and a second split sleeve 214 integral with the iirst one, conected thereto by a web 25 and -aiso rubber-coated interioriy thereof. This second split sleeve iits around the rifle barrel and attaches the `indicator thereto.

My invention has important advantages which include ability to easily and quickly produce, smoke and then eiiectiveiy terminate smoke production so that a single cartridge may produce smoke on repeated occasions. Additionaliy, the cartridge is a throw-away type which is discarded when its supply of smoke-producing material is exhausted whereupon it is removed from its casing and a fresh yone inserted therein.

While l have shown and described a certain preierred embodiment of my invention, it may be otherwise ernb-odied `within the scope oi the `following claims.

I claim:

1. A wind direction indicator comprising a casing having one end open, a cartridge member adapted tocontain and enclose a material which produces smoke upon contact by air, said cartridge member being adapted for insertion into and removal from said casing through said open end and being made from a material adapted to be pierced by a piercing member, a cap detachably and movabiy mounted upon said casing adiacent said open end and ttmg over said open end, said cap having connected thereto interiorly a `piercing member which extends toward said cartridge when same is inserted in said casing and when said cap is positioned at said open end and which is adapted to pierce and penetrate said cartridge member by advancing said cap mounted upon said casing towards the end thereof opposite said open end,

4 a sealing member made lfrom a resilient material, snrrounding a portion of said piercing member, spaced apart from the piercing point thereof and positioned for cngagement with that portion of said cartridge surrounding said piercing member when it has penetrated said cartridge to edect an airtight seai between said cartridge and said piercing member, said cap having at least one hole extending therethrough for escape of smoke from said cartridge and said casing.

2. The Wind direction indicator of claim 1 characterized by said cartridge member having at that end facing said piercing merrber `a .receptacle positioned to receive said sealing member and effect engagement therewith when said piercing member has penetrated said cartridge to provide said `airtight seal.

3. The `wind direction indicator of claim 1 characterize by an attachment member having a rst portion for receiving and supporting said casing and a secc-nd portion for connection to a rearm barrel.

4. The Wind direction indicator of claim 1 characterized by said cartridge member having at that end facing said piercing member a receptacle positioned to receive said sealing member `and eiect engagement therewith when said piercing member has penetrated said cartridge to provide said airtight seal and by an attachment member having a -irst portion for receiving and supporting said casing and a second portion for connection to a hrearm barrel.

5. The wind direction indicator of claim i charactei-ized by spring means disposed `between and in enga-gement with -that end of said cartridge member facing said piercing member and said cap.

Reterences Cited in the le or" this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 

1. A WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR COMPRISING A CASING HAVING ONE END OPEN, A CARTRIDGE MEMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AND ENCLOSE A MATERIAL WHICH PRODUCES SMOKE UPON CONTACT BY AIR, SAID CARTRIDGE MEMBER BEING ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO AND REMOVAL FROM SAID CASING THROUGH SAID OPEN END AND BEING MADE FROM A MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE PIERCED BY A PIERCING MEMBER, A CAP DETACHABLY AND MOVABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID OPEN END AND FITTING OVER SAID OPEN END, SAID CAP HAVING CONNECTED THERETO INTERIORLY A PIERCING MEMBER WHICH EXTENDS TOWARD SAID CARTRIDGE WHEN SAME IS INSERTED IN SAID CASING AND WHEN SAID CAP IS POSITIONED AT SAID OPEN END AND WHICH IS ADAPTED TO PIERCE AND PENETRATE SAID CARTRIDGE MEMBER BY ADVANCING SAID CAP MOUNTED UPON SAID 